Darren Moore is a former professional footballer and current manager of Sheffield Wednesday, a club in the third tier of English football. He is also one of the candidates to become the next manager of the England national team, following the departure of Gareth Southgate after the 2022 World Cup. But what are his chances of landing the prestigious job, and what are his strengths and weaknesses as a coach?
Moore was born in Birmingham, England, in 1974, but he also represented Jamaica at international level as a player. He played as a centre-back for several clubs, including Torquay United, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Barnsley and Burton Albion. He retired from playing in 2012, at the age of 38.
He started his managerial career in 2014, as a development coach at West Bromwich Albion, where he had spent five years as a player. He was promoted to assistant manager in 2017, under Alan Pardew, and then took over as caretaker manager in 2018, after Pardew was sacked. Despite being bottom of the Premier League table with 10 games to go, Moore managed to lead West Brom to three wins and two draws, including victories over Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. He was named Premier League Manager of the Month for April 2018, becoming the first Jamaican to win the award. However, he could not prevent West Brom from being relegated to the Championship.
Moore was appointed as West Brom’s permanent manager in May 2018, with the aim of guiding them back to the top flight. He started well, with West Brom being among the promotion contenders for most of the season. However, a run of four defeats in six games saw them slip to fourth place in March 2019, and Moore was surprisingly sacked by the club’s board.
He did not stay out of work for long, as he was hired by Doncaster Rovers in July 2019. He led Doncaster to a ninth-place finish in League One in his first season, which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also took them to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1956, where they lost to Chelsea. In his second season, he had Doncaster challenging for promotion again, until he left the club in March 2021 to join Sheffield Wednesday.
Sheffield Wednesday were struggling at the bottom of the Championship when Moore arrived, and he could not save them from relegation to League One. However, he has made a strong start to the 2021-22 season, with Sheffield Wednesday currently second in the table after 15 games. He has also impressed with his style of play, which is based on possession and attacking football.
Moore is widely regarded as one of the most promising young managers in England, and he has been linked with several higher-profile jobs in recent years. He has also been praised for his leadership skills, his motivational abilities and his work ethic. He is known for being humble, respectful and loyal to his players and staff.
However, he also has some weaknesses that could count against him in his bid to become England manager. He lacks experience at the highest level of club football, having only managed in the Premier League for 10 games. He also has not won any major trophies or achieved any promotions as a manager. He may also face some prejudice or discrimination because of his ethnicity or accent.
In conclusion, Darren Moore is a talented and ambitious manager who has done well at every club he has managed so far. He has shown that he can adapt to different situations and challenges, and that he can get the best out of his players. He also has a passion and a vision for football that could suit England’s needs. However, he may need to prove himself more at a higher level before he can be considered as a serious contender for one of the most demanding jobs in world football.